Produced by WeWereMonkeys, not much can be revealed about the video game while it’s in the beta testing stage
Skyrim, Bioshock and Batman: Arkham City are some of the video games that three Vernon teens said are among their favourites to play.
And on Saturday, July 27, the trio put their video game knowledge to work testing a new game that’s being produced locally.
Vernon-based animation studio WeWereMonkeys had worked in the music video production space for about 15 years, collaborating with big-name clients including Taylor Swift, Tears for Fears and Of Monsters and Men.
Now, the studio is branching out to work on its first ever video game. WeWereMonkeys has been developing the game for the past couple years, and has now reached the beta testing stage.
That’s where Ezra Pord, Asia Pord and Vaniel Bennett come in.
The trio are the first of 50 gamers that will test the beta version of the game. They came to the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Saturday, where the game was projected onto the large screen in the theatre for them to play for 30 minutes each, before completing a survey to provide their feedback.
“I’ve never tested games before,” said Ezra, 15, before his 30 minutes of gameplay. “I thought it would be fun to help test it.”
WeWereMonkeys producer Marcella Moser said the beta testing stage of the game is “very exciting and nerve-wracking,” as it’s a crucial stage for the game’s development.
“What we’re looking for is where we can improve the game,” Moser said. “That’s really important to us.”
Not much can be said about the game while it’s still in the beta stage. Moser said she couldn’t even reveal the game’s name. All she could say is that “it is a game that may trigger nostalgia for some.”
Nonetheless, she said the excitement level about it is “at 100 per cent.”
Moser thanked the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre for graciously providing its space for the testing, which started at the centre on July 27, and will wrap up July 29.
“This is our first foray into creating video games, so we’re going to see at the end of the weekend if we’re on the right path,” Moser said.
The 50 people who will test the game are from Montreal and across B.C., and range from nine to 66 years old.
“Girls, boys, men, women, non-binary, First Nations — everybody is invited to come and test, and we want to see which generation is digging this game the most.”
Moser said the release date for the game is yet to be determined, as the game is still very much in progress.
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